Portrait of Michelle Obama Leaves Toddler Awestruck

A 2-year-old girl's reaction to former first lady Michelle Obama's portrait is warming hearts all over the world. (Published Tuesday, March 6, 2018)

The little girl who captured hearts after a stranger snapped a photo of her admiring a portrait of Michelle Obama got to meet the former first lady this week.

Obama shared a video on Twitter Tuesday of her and 2-year-old Parker Curry in the middle of a dance party.

"Parker, I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)! Keep on dreaming big for yourself...and maybe one day I'll proudly look up at a portrait of you!" Obama said in the tweet.

Curry and her mother, Jessica Curry, were at the National Portrait Gallery on March 1 when Ben Hines caught Parker staring at the recently unveiled portrait. He quickly snapped a photo of the awestruck girl and shared it to his Facebook page.

Parker, I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)! Keep on dreaming big for yourself...and maybe one day I'll proudly look up at a portrait of you! pic.twitter.com/faUVTsYWun

"I really wanted her to turn around to take a picture but she wouldn't, she was focused on it," Parker's mom told News4 Washington. "Ben Hines, who was on the side, could see that she was just awestruck."

Obama's portrait, painted by Amy Sherald, was unveiled last month, along with a portrait of her husband, former President Barack Obama.

Michelle Obama's portrait shows her in a black and white dress looking thoughtful with her hand on her chin.

The portraits are on display at the National Portrait Gallery, which is part of the Smithsonian group of museums. The gallery has a complete collection of presidential portraits. A different set of portraits of the former first couple will eventually hang in the White House.